More BPA in Canadian Teens, Study Says

According to a recent Statistics Canada study, conducted with Health Canada, some disturbing facts surrounding the controversial plastic hardening chemical bisphenonl A (BPA) and the Canadian population were revealed, the Calgary Herald just announced. This is the governmentâ€™s first national survey conducted on chemical exposure.

It seems that nine out of 10 Canadians aged six to 79â€”91 percent of the populationâ€”have BPA in their urine. These figures indicate that Canadian children and teenagers have higher BPA urine levels today than ever before, wrote the Calgary Herald. The survey also revealed that just about every Canadian has BPA in their bodies.

Sadly, young people aged 12 to 19 tested with an average level of 1.50 parts per billion (ppb), higher than the overall average of 1.16 ppb, wrote the Calgary Herald. Younger children tested with 1.30 ppb, people aged 40 to 59 had 1.04 ppb, and those aged 60 to 79 tested at 0.90 ppb.

Considering how fast BPA can be flushed from human body and the soaring incidence of BPA detection, “these data suggest continual and widespread exposure of BPA,” noted the report, quoted the Calgary Herald. The report was released yesterday.

While lead study author Tracey Bushnik, of Statistics Canada’s health analysis division, indicated that the source for the increased levels remains unknown, but some issues could be factors, according to the Calgary Herald. “Children have a different physiology compared to adults. For example, how they absorb or distribute or metabolize or excrete BPA could be different,” said Bushnik, quoted the Calgary Herald.

Because Health Canada has a safe intake level but no BPA urine level that would trigger concern, a safety conclusion was not made. “Although BPA may constitute a health risk, no guidance values are currently available in Canada for urinary BPA,” said the technical report on the first cycle of the Canadian Health Measures Survey, quoted the Calgary Herald. The report is an ongoing investigation of some 5,600 Canadians aged six to 79 and consists of home interviews and physical tests.

Consumer advocacy groups say findings point to a need for Canada to expand its 2008 BPA ban on plastic baby bottles to other BPA-containing products, said the Calgary Herald. “I don’t care what kind of outdated, half-baked argument the industry tries to muster today. There’s no way they can explain away any level of a hormonally active chemical in nine out of 10 Canadians. It’s just not possible,” said Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence, quoted the Calgary Herald. “The reality is that the best available science points to the fact that there is no safe level of BPA,” he added.

The epoxy resin is found in a wide variety of consumer products, paper receipts, and in water as a result of aquatic paints. As a component, BPA is verified if the item contains recycling number 7. Over six billion pounds of BPA are produced annually.

We recently wrote that an emerging report containing the must current collection of published scientific literature regarding BPAâ€™s health impacts found that of 81 studies included in the compilation, 75 conclude that humans are exposed to the chemical there exists negative health reactions connected to exposure to BPA, wrote Toxics Action.

Known to imitate the hormone estrogen, BPA acts as an anti-androgen, affecting sexual development and processes, especially in developing fetuses, infants, and children. Hundreds of prior studies link BPA to cardiovascular disease, intestinal problems, brain cell connection interference, increased risks of reproductive and immune system diseases and disorders, problems with liver function testing, interruptions in chemotherapy treatment, premature puberty, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and erectile dysfunction and male sexual problems. BPA is found in the bodies of 93 percent of Americans and 90 percent of all American newborns.